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There is no such thing as the perfect couple. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all have our problems. It doesn’t matter how much you and your partner love one another; At some point, you are going to face a trouble or two, many of which have the power to cause major damage to your relationship. Perhaps a sister-in-law throws you daggers at every family function, or a promotion keeps you at work more than you’d like. Whatever the issue, it’s how you deal with it that’s important. With that in mind, here are ten common relationship troubles and how to handle them.

Problems With Loved Ones

No one chooses their family, but that fact doesn’t make your life any easier when you come to realize that your partner’s don’t particularly like you. However, instead of focusing on the negatives of the situation, you should try to look for the positives. For example, without these people, you wouldn’t have your partner at all. That being said, if a parent, sibling, or cousin does insist on being rude for no reason, you may want to bring it up with your partner at some point.

Not Enough Time Together

Couples tend to spend a lot of time together, especially when they live with one another. Because of this, when a couple starts to see each other less and less, it can create an upsetting and frustrating situation. To remedy this issue, you should plan time together in advance, and do everything you can to ensure that nothing interrupts your plans. If you’re both very busy, this can be a challenge, but it’s very rarely impossible. You can also text and call each other every day.

Too Much Time Together

That being said, some time apart from one another isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it can be incredibly valuable to a healthy relationship. It’s easy to feel suffocated when you’re with your significant other every minute of the day, so be sure you both plan things to do on your own. This could be to practice a hobby, visit your friends, head to the gym, or anything else you want to do without your partner. Be sure not to contact each other too much during this time, or there isn’t any point.

A Lack Of Trust

The reason some couples spend all of their time together is because of a lack of trust. For one reason or another, they don’t want their partners going off on their own, and so aim to be with them at all times. However, trust is an essential part of any relationship, which means that, if you don’t have any, it will cause problems. To build this trust up, you should both make an effort to be honest and consistent. You should also consider combatting your reasons for this lack of faith.

Insecurities About The Future

No one gets into a relationship planning for it to end. However, when you and your partner are going down different paths, this becomes more and more likely, causing serious insecurity. This is why you should speak to one another and try to find a compromise. For example, if you want children, but your partner has already had a vasectomy, they may be willing to adopt or have a reversal vasectomy to make this possible. There’s no use in worrying until you’ve talked about it.

Frequent Conflicts Concerning Money

Money is a major cause of trouble for most relationships, especially when you and your partner have wildly different spending habits. If you like to save and prepare for the future, but they blow their paycheque the first week of every month, it’s going to cause conflict now and then. Instead of shouting and screaming about it, you should sit down, talk it out, and find a middle ground you’re both happy with. Also, work together to solve money worries, rather than placing blame.

Vices Are An Issue

When you live your life mostly sober, but have a partner that smokes, drinks, or takes drugs regularly, it can make you feel uncomfortable, resulting in a distance and tension between the two of you. Telling your partner to quit is the simple solution to this issue, but they shouldn’t have to change themselves for you, even if their habit is harming their health. They need to want to change for themselves. However, you can ask that they keep their vices away from you.

Putting The Relationship Last

Being in a relationship for a long time can cause couples to take one another for granted. Instead of putting your partner first, like you would have done not so long ago, you start to cancel dates, leave messages unreplied to, and ignore simple requests. This may not seem like that big of a deal to you, but it will to your significant other. While there will be times when something else is genuinely more important, for the most part, you should put your relationship above all else.

Daily Wars About Chores

Some of the biggest arguments in relationships are all because of chores. Of course, when it seems as if you’re doing all of the housework alone, it’s easy to become frustrated, but, instead of blowing up, you should stay cool and have a calm conversation. List every chore in the house that needs to be done and decide between you who wants to do what. If there’s a task neither of you wants, then consider taking it in turns or hiring a professional to do it for you.

The Fun Is Gone

Boredom is a common issue for couples, especially for those that have been with each other for years. However, instead of resigning to a stale life, you should bring up the problem with your significant other. Chances are, they feel the exact same way that you do. If this is true, you should see if you can find any ways to spice things up again. A lot of couples find that going on a date or two is enough to bring back the feelings of the “honeymoon period” of their relationship.

Every relationship has troubles it needs to face. With the advice above, you should be able to deal with a few of the most common ones and get things back on track with your partner.

Is 2019 the year you’re planning the trip of a lifetime? Whether it’s exploring the world with friends or heading to a dream destination with your other half, there’s no doubt that the prospect of clear blue skies and fresh adventures is hugely enticing as we trudge our way through a dreary grey winter at home. But while the dreams are certainly there, are the funds? Going on your travels can be quite pricey, so making plans and saving up is a must for most of us. If you have the will and the commitment, you can make it happen – here’s how…

It’s all too easy to say to yourself that you’re going to save each payday, only to get to the end of the month and find you don’t have any cash left over to save for your trip. So the best thing to do is set up a separate savings account with a standing order for a set amount to come from the account you get paid into. You can also use an app like Moneybox, which lets you combine regular savings amounts with a feature which rounds up the change and saves it on any card purchase. Automate the process as much as possible to avoid the temptation of dipping into your savings for other reasons.

Make A Budget Plan

If you don’t know exactly how much you’re spending then you can’t make savings. So, coming up with a budget plan is vital. Start by looking at your last bank statement and noting down all of your bill amounts, any credit card payments or joint loans for couples you have. The amount left over is your discretionary spend. Look at areas like unused subscriptions you can cancel, or little spending habits like that weekly takeaway that add up. But remember it’s important not to cut out all the run – you’ll only resent it otherwise and end up breaking your spending plan.

Be Smart About Your Bookings

Shop around to find the best possible deals on everything – flights, accommodation, transfers and food. Look at the time of year you’re planning to travel – some places still have beautiful weather outside of the peak travel season when you’re likely to pick up better deals. With flights, if you choose not to fly direct sometimes you can save big with several smaller operators, or by picking less popular flight times. With your accommodation, investigate whether one of the new boutique hostels could be an option. They have sleek design but cost far less than a hotel.

Remind Yourself Why

Saving involves making little sacrifices quite often and sometimes it can be hard to stay on track. So it’s useful to remind yourself of the bigger picture. Try changing your phone wallpaper or your desktop at work to a picture of your dream destination, or start a Pinterest board of holiday outfits that you can look at whenever you feel discouraged. You’ll be sat on that beach before you know it!

Nothing’s more exciting than moving into your first home with a partner. Whether you’re dating, engaged, or married, this can bring a new dimension to your relationship. Finally, you’ll be able to wake up to that dreamy face every morning. You’ll be able to rest easy that the love of your life will come through that door every night.For these reasons, it’s easy to get carried away the moment discussions about living together start. You may feel so desperate to have him close that you go straight online to look at houses. Within weeks, you’re signing a contract and accepting the keys.Urgency like this is understandable, but it doesn’t always work out. If you don’t discuss particular things before agreeing on a place, the mask could soon start to slip, and you might not like what you see underneath. Even worse, it’ll be too late to walk away.

To make sure that doesn’t happen, there are some essential factors you need to discuss before moving in. For the most part, these are financial. To make sure money doesn’t tear you apart, be sure to ask your partner these financial questions before you move.

The chances are that your finances have been pretty separate until now. You might not have any real idea of how much your partner has to play with. But, this is something you need to know if you’re moving in together. How much they can afford dictates the properties you can consider. If you feel awkward asking straight out, don’t. Just ask how much rent they think they can manage, and be honest about what you can afford too. How is their credit rating?Again, credit ratings are difficult to discuss. This has probably never come up in your relationship, but now is the time. If you’re applying for a rental or a mortgage, your success depends upon decent credit scores. That’s why you need to know if your partner has any issues in this department. It’s better to get these out in the open now than when you fail a check. That way, you can direct them towards resources like this Self Lender review to help build their rating fast. Options like these provide the chance to loan money from yourself. They could see your partner passing credit checks in no time. But, you can’t use them if you don’t ask the question!Are they willing to split the bills?This may seem like an obvious point, but don’t just assume you and your partner will split the bills. Instead, make sure that they would be willing to do this. Some couples settle for one person paying bills, and another paying rent, for example. But, that might complicate things in your first home. Your easiest option, then, is just to split everything down the middle. Make sure your partner is on board with that before ending with an unexpected financial burden which could snap the back of your romance.

We’ve all gone through tough times and it’s impossible to predict the next time you’re going through financial hardship. While your finances may be in perfect order now, you could find yourself on holiday and spend all your money at once – or you may have to pay up for something sudden and unexpected.

No matter what happens, though, the best solution is to come prepared. It’s going to save you from that dreaded feeling of panic as you realise that you won’t be able to make it to the end of the month, and you’ll feel way more comfortable in general.

Here is a handful of tried-and-tested tips to help you out when you’re in a pinch. That way, you’ll be able to take care of yourself no matter what.

#1 Find a few side-hustles

The great thing about technology these days is that you can actually make money whenever you feel like it. You just need to know where to look – and you have to have a few contacts up your sleeve.

Sure, you still have your actual job and you shouldn’t necessarily quit this to go all out with your side-hustle; this is all about having access to quick money without having to borrow it.

Think about the kind of skills you have that may be useful online, and hit the search engine to check out one of the trillion sites that offer a platform for freelancers and companies. Web design, programming, copywriting, SEO, and social media marketing – all of these are in high demand online.

The good news with these kinds of online jobs is, of course, that you can do them anywhere. Complete a few projects on your commute back home and boost your income significantly – it’s definitely going to come in handy when you really need it.

#2 Get a payday loan

If you’re not able to wait for that paycheck from your full-time job or your side-hustles, it’s time to dive a bit deeper into your options. A payday loan is a great idea when you really need it as you’re able to borrow a small amount on a very short notice.

It will come at a significant interest rate, though, so keep in mind that this option is suitable for desperate times. Read more about it and go to this page if you’re interested; it’s a great option to have handy in case you don’t have access to your credit card at the moment.

Before you apply for a short-term loan, remember that you have to pay it on time. If you should happen to be late, you’re going to have to pay way more than you originally thought – and your credit score is certainly going to suffer. Borrow money responsibly and use it as a lifeguard in case you have no other option.

#3 Sell some of your stuff

You don’t have to be into the minimalist lifestyle just to sell a bunch of your stuff. It does feel great to get rid of some things, though, and you can actually enjoy the feeling of decluttering your life while also making money; it’s therapy that you’re being paid for.

If you need money soon but not right now, this option is perfect for you. Simply check out one of the dozen platforms that offer a marketplace for buyers and sellers, check out what other sellers tend to price their items at (or just slice the amount you paid for it in half), take a few pictures, and wait for the emails to roll in.

Keep in mind that this might take a bit of time, depending on how lucky you are. Sometimes you’ll be approached by potential buyers right away – other times, you’re going to have to wait.

Use this as a way to plan for the month ahead if you see that you might struggle financially. That way, you’re taking care of yourself while also clearing up around the house. Electronics tend to sell a bit quicker, by the way, as well as any nostalgia-items you might have laying around. Check out the attic, in other words, and you should be good to go.

#4 Start a website

This is another tip that requires a certain amount of planning. You’re not going to make money from a website right away, that’s for sure – and you might even have to wait a few months before you start to make an actual income.

Yet, this is a great way to create a passive stream of money for the future, and particularly if you’ve been frustrated about a lack of money in the past. The website can be about anything you think you’ll be able to make money from; make it a DIY blog, a photography website, fill it with your cooking recipes, etc – you have a lot of options.

Have a look at this site if you’re not sure where to begin and keep in mind that this is something that will take a bit of time. The sooner you get started, the sooner you can enjoy the extra income, in other words.

#5 Get a part-time job

Want to significantly boost your income? Get a real part-time job and do something you love. The great thing about this option is that you get to enjoy the feeling of doing something that’s kind of relaxed and you don’t have to worry about working towards that promotion – you’re really just doing this for the money, after all.

If you’ve always loved the idea of working in a coffee shop, for example, get a job where you can work a few hours per week during the evening and maybe a day or two on the weekend.

That way, you have a flexible part-time job where you can smell the coffee and chit chat with others while actually making money. Boosting your income is actually not that hard as long as you’re willing to put in a little bit of work first.

Taking on your first mortgage will be the greatest financial decision of your life, and will have an impact on your finances for a long time to come. Before you decide to leave the nest or your rented accommodation, you need to make sure you are aware of the commitments and responsibilities that come with getting on the property ladder. While you will be able to build long term assets, a part of your income will be tied up for decades. To help you make the right decision, we have provided a few tips below.

Once you start thinking about getting your own place, you have to research the areas you can afford. There is no point stretching beyond your means, or you will end up getting yourself into trouble. Be realistic about your location. You cannot move in to a 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom mansion, unless you have a higher executive salary. Start small and make sure you can afford the repayments. Use an online mortgage calculator to get an estimate of the cost of getting a house on a loan.

2. Get Your Finances in Shape

Whether you are living in a rental property or with your parents, you need to make sure that you don’t have too much outstanding debt. Check out your consolidation options and find the right way of managing your credit. You will be more likely to get accepted for a mortgage if you only have one credit account, instead of debt all over the place on credit cards and car finance.

3. Check Your Credit Rating and Compare Rates

Before you would make an application and start planning your move, looking for properties, you must be sure that you are considered creditworthy by banks. The main indicator of whether or not you will be accepted for a mortgage is your credit score. Check it and find ways of improving it. If you live with your parents and are planning on leaving the nest, chances are you have little or no credit history. It might be worth to consider applying for a credit card and making a few payments to build up your score before thinking about mortgages.

You need to be realistic about what you can afford and maintain. Find out exactly how much it will cost you to maintain the property and pay the bills. There are several calculators online that will give you the estimated running cost of the property you have your eyes on. This way, you can budget better and will not stretch yourself too far.

5. Get a Stable Job

It is also important that you get a stable job before you apply for a mortgage. It will not only help you get a mortgage, but also give you a peace of mind that you can make the repayments.

Before you could jump on the property ladder, you need to make sure that your finances are in order, and you can afford to make the repayments for the next few decades.

I do not write about football or footballers much, but I am an avid fan of the German national team since the age of 15. That is almost half my life now! Last night was a sad night, as it was Lukas Podolski’s last international game.

Lukas Podolski cheering after scoring his last goal in his final International Game. What a star!

Born on the 4th of June, 1985, Lukas will be 32 this year. Although he was born in Poland, he has German nationality, which allowed him to play for the German national team. As a youth, he started off his career in Cologne. He later on joined Bayern Munich, then returned to his home town in Cologne. In 2012 he signed with Arsenal for a fee of £11,000,000. This is the club, together with Cologne in which he shined the most. Currently he is still playing with Galatasaray, a turkish football club, with a salary of around £2,500,000 each year.

He was capped by the German National team in 2004, and since then he became the third most capped player in Germany history, with 130 caps, and also the third highest goalscorer in German history, with 49 goals. In 2013, Podolski scored the fastest goal in German history; he scored after only 9 seconds in a friendly game against Ecuador.

After the Euro Cup 2016, Podolski announced his retirement from international football in order to focus on his family life. He married Monika Puchalski in 2011, and together they have a son, aged 8 (born 2008).

I have watched Podolski’s career closely with the national team and he has been one of my favourite players. Last night’s win against England would not have happened if it wasn’t for his unbelievable winning goal. What a tribute, and a great way to finish his career with the German team!

A lack of happiness in the workplace is a big issue. So it won’t come as any surprise that scientists are trying to figure out what makes workers see the brighter side of life. Unhappy employees lead to high rates of absenteeism and high turnover and it all damages business’s bottom lines.

So how does one create a happy workplace? It all comes down to positive psychology and positive emotions. It’s the reverse to how we usually think about our mental wellbeing. We see mental health as all the things that can go wrong with our minds. But positive psychology is different, It asks what we can do to actively make ourselves happy.

The findings from this field are relevant and can be applied to the workplace. Let’s take a look at some of the field’s most pertinent conclusions.

Positive Emotions Are Contagious

In one study researchers wanted to find out if positive emotions were contagious. They set up a group situation and planted an actor in its midst. The actor was trained by the researchers to exude positivity in the group setting. The researchers found that the person acting positively transmitted their positivity to others. The group experienced less conflict, more cooperation and better performance in doing tasks.

It showed that being around positive people really does have an impact on workplace productivity and wellbeing. Being around happy people rubs off on the rest of us misery guts.

Small Actions Have A Big Impact On Personal Happiness

You might think that in order to achieve happiness, something incredible has to happen – like winning the lottery. But the evidence suggests that people react far more positively to the smaller things. This is great news for employers, as it means that they don’t have to spend vast sums of money trying to make their workers happier.

Take bereavement for example. As the bereavement leave guide by Peninsula Group explains, employers don’t have a duty to provide workers with time off right now. But employers who allow compassionate leave can help to improve the wellbeing of their employees enormously. Small gestures like this are surprisingly effective. So too as things like making lists of all the good things a worker did or writing a letter saying how much a worker helped you.

When good things happen to us that we didn’t predict, it makes us a lot happier. The researchers found that people’s happiness centres lit up more on MRI scans when positive stimuli were unexpected.

At work, managers often create very predictable happiness programmes for their employees. They organise summer and Christmas parties. They give out bonuses. And they organise team events. But when it comes to happiness, this might not be the best strategy. It might be better, in fact, to make your happiness activities more random and to surprise your employees.

Random acts of kindness around the workplace seems to be the way to go. You could surprise a high-performing employee with a reward. Or you could give workers a surprise trip out of the office to a local theme park. The possibilities are endless.

My Articles by Date

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth. Not possible, as life changes a person, and we all grow... hopefully for the better. This is an online journal of my thoughts, my findings, and my lessons learned.